Sabarimala: Police failed to ensure security, crucial meeting planned

Thiruvananthapuram: Sabarimala witnessed another protest when the shrine opened for Chitthira Atta Visesham ceremony on Monday. It is reported that police failed to ensure security for the pilgrims at the shrine.

Police will hold a crucial meeting to take decision on security during Mandalam-Makaravilakku season. Chief Minister and higher officials will attend the meeting. The security arrangements by the police at the shrine turned out to be a complete failure. The protests at the shrine is an evidence for this.

Police made security arrangements by fixing time to stay at Sannidhanam and imposing restrictions for pilgrims and vehicles. But all efforts went in vain as the limitations in the Sannidhanam became a major challenge for the police.

Police made strict security arrangements at the shrine ahead of the temple’s opening for the annual Chithira Atta Visesham. In order to counter the protests, police department was on high alert and ADGPs took charge of the security arrangements in various areas. But tension prevailed in the shrine on Tuesday as devotees tried to prevent a 52-year-old woman pilgrim, whom they suspected to be of menstrual age.

The woman showed her Aadhaar card to them to prove her age. When the situation went out of control, senior RSS leader Valsan Thillankeri, who has been camping at the shrine complex since Monday, pacified the angry agitators and asked them to maintain calm and cautioned against alleged "unruly elements", who could intrude to create trouble at the hill shrine. He claimed he addressed the devotees to help the police.

It is learnt that intelligence wing also failed in Sabarimala. It is learned that police faced setback due to the limitations at the shrine. Protesters exploited these limitations and the hill shrine turned into a land of conflict again. Police will discuss about the precautions to be taken to counter such protesters during the Mandalam-Makaravilakku season.

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